Mumbai’s skyline and Maharashtra’s urban sprawl demand robust safety nets, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis delivered just that on Wednesday. Announcing upgrades to the lift inspection regime, he greenlit 519 new positions to manage the 2.10 lakh existing elevators and 25,000 recent approvals straining limited manpower.
Replying to queries by Niranjan Davkhare and Sachin Ahir on housing society upkeep, Fadnavis stressed future-proofing: ‘Growth demands more, but this is our starting point.’ Innovations include a Mumbai-style third-party verification for lifts, enforcing technical audits and visible certification on validity and dates.
The budget session sees a pivotal bill enhancing official powers, open to refinements. A high-powered task force with BMC Commissioner, peer municipalities, and energy officials will forge comprehensive policies on servicing standards, check rhythms, tech mandates, and vendor accountabilities – ready in 180 days.
Tackling usury, he clarified: illegal lenders’ claims are invalid, with state support for reporters. Regulated ones breaching rates invite delisting, legal action, and remedy for the aggrieved. Fadnavis’s vision paints a safer, fairer Maharashtra.